HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS, PRESERVICE AND INSERVICE LEVELS, THEIR INTEREST IN TEACHING, THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

CHADDERDON, HESTER; AND OTHERS

MAJOR QUESTIONS EXPLORED IN THIS COOPERATIVE RESEARCH STUDY WERE--(1) WHAT ARE THE ATTITUDES OF PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS TOWARD CHILDREN, TEACHING, AND INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS DIFFERENT FROM THEMSELVES, (2) WHAT EARLY COLLEGE EXPERIENCES MIGHT MODIFY THESE ATTITUDES, AND (3) WHAT EXPERIENCES AS JUNIORS, SENIORS, AND FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS INFLUENCE ATTITUDES. REPRESENTATIVES FROM SIX INSTITUTIONS IN SIX STATES PLANNED AND CARRIED OUT THE 10-YEAR STUDY USING MINNESOTA TEACHER ATTITUDE INVENTORY, JOHNSON HOME ECONOMICS INTEREST INVENTORY AND TEACHER DATA SHEETS TO DETERMINE ATTITUDES AND INTERESTS OF HOME ECONOMICS STUDENTS EARLY IN THE COLLEGE PROGRAM, LATER IN THE COLLEGE YEARS, AND AFTER SOME EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING. SOME GENERAL FINDINGS WERE--(1) MORE ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDES TOWARD CHILDREN WERE EVIDENT IN INDIVIDUALS WHO FELT THEIR TEACHING LOADS WERE SATISFACTORY, ENGAGED IN YOUTH ACTIVITIES, TAUGHT VOCATIONAL HOME ECONOMICS, HAD RECENTLY ENROLLED IN COLLEGE CREDIT COURSES, AND HAD FOUND SUPERVISION HELPFUL, (2) STUDENTS' ATTITUDES BECAME MORE FAVORABLE TOWARD CHILDREN BETWEEN FRESHMAN AND SENIOR YEARS, BUT LESS FAVORABLE DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING, (3) STUDENTS CHOSE A CAREER IN TEACHING MORE FOR PRACTICAL REASONS THAN AS A RESULT OF EXPERIENCE PREVIOUS TO COLLEGE SUCH AS THAT RELATED TO CHILDREN OR HIGH SCHOOL HOME ECONOMICS COURSES, (4) INTEREST IN TEACHING DID NOT INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN THE FRESHMAN YEAR AND THE FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING, AND (5) ATTITUDES TOWARD OTHERS DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN GROUPS CHANGED BUT TOWARD LESS POSITIVE ONES FROM THE JUNIOR YEAR TO THE FIRST YEAR IN TEACHING. MORE STUDY OF FACTORS POSSIBLY INFLUENTIAL IN THE FINDINGS WAS RECOMMENDED. (MS)